The idea of a family dinner out at a restaurant sounds so appealing in theory. Eating out can be a way to celebrate a special occasion, to get in some quality time as a family, or to explore a new area when traveling. The reality of dining out with kids can often be very different though. Sometimes, they may struggle with sitting still and using indoor voices. Other times, you may find yourself doubling the server’s tip due to food thrown on the floor or shattered plates needing to be cleaned up. 

When a Child Refuses to Go to Time-Out

Children under their grandparents’ care spend about half of that time on screens, according to a new study. The amount of screen time that grandparents’ allow exceeds the current recommendations by twofold. 

Researchers looked at how children aged two through seven spent their time with their grandparents. They found that grandparents who watched their grandchildren over a 40-hour time period allowed them about two hours of screen time. 

Going back to school doesn’t have to be a drag! Make it fun by incorporating fun memory-making ideas and traditions that you’ll want to carry on for years to come when the first day of school rolls around. 

Aside from just snapping a photo on the first day, there are a few ways that you can ensure your kids will actually look forward to going back to school for years to come with these traditions that they could one day pass on to their own children. 

Facing Family Finances

From laptops at home to tablets at school, kids use technology daily, and device use is beginning at an earlier and earlier age. In fact, parents are letting toddlers and even infants play with their phones and tablets.

As I’m nearing the due date for my third child, I can’t help but wonder how I’ll possibly make the time to give each one the individual attention they deserve. The kids will soon outnumber the adults in our household, and it’s important to me to make sure they feel as if we’re making time for them.

What is the biggest challenge your family faces? Financial challenges? Getting time together? The distraction of social media? Quarreling?

However, you answer that question, there is one root and one path to creating something different. Surprisingly, for many people, the root is our lack of emotional learning, our emotional ignorance. And the solution is developing our understanding of emotions or emotional literacy.

More: How to Determine Your Child's Love Language

Did you know that the average family does approximately six loads of laundry every week? This can be even higher for the parents of babies and toddlers who seem to have more outfit changes in a single day than a runway model does during the entirety of fashion week.

Kid-friendly meals that adults love too can seem like the Holy Grail of feeding a family. Either you find yourself eating mac and cheese and chicken fingers, or you end up making multiple meals customized to each person's age, taste, and dietary restrictions. While one-pot suppers and family crockpot meals are a great catch-all for some families, others need more individualized options that don't require a sink's worth of dishes and all the free hours you can muster.

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Gone are the days when cell phones and tablets were for grown-ups. Now preschool-aged kiddos have access to mom and dad’s devices and elementary school-aged children have smartphones of their own. This makes the use of a parental control app, screen time management solutions, and apps to track kids’ phone use an absolute for 21st century parents.

Are you wondering if your little bundle of joy will be a boy or girl? While the only accurate way to find out your baby's sex during pregnancy is via medical tests, playing the guessing game can be a lot of fun.

Family Stresses

by William R. Beardslee, MD and Susan Linn, EdD

All families go through hard times. As parents, we may struggle to cope with stresses ranging from money worries and job changes to marital difficulties and illness. Talking with our children about these problems may seem like an insurmountable hurdle, but keeping silent may inadvertently cause them harm.

Family Photos

Materials

• Family photo albums

Directions

1. Set aside a few hours one day to look through family photo albums with your child.
2. You might look at photos of your wedding, of family vacations, of your child's toddler years, or of friends and relatives your child hasn't met.
3. Looking at photos together and telling your child the "thousand words" behind each photo will help you give your child a sense of tradition and belonging.

There is one struggle that seems to cross the boundaries of all forms of motherhood. Whether mothering a baby or a teen, and whether staying at home or working outside the home full time, the consistent challenge for all moms is time. There never seems to be enough of it.